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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22914196">Valentine's Day</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isimile/pseuds/Isimile'>Isimile</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Femslash February Weeks 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Femslash February, Valentine's Day, cultural misunderstanding, reference to Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:48:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>789</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22914196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isimile/pseuds/Isimile</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Femslash Week 2: Valentine's Day</p><p>Maria Hill is certain that her office has somehow been compromised. What other explanation is there for alien matter to appear there?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Maria Hill/Sif</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Femslash February Weeks 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1646962</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Valentine's Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Maria Hill stared at the strangely shaped red... thing on her desk. The texture looked papery and vaguely symmetrical. She reached for her commlink, then reconsidered. She turned, carefully locked her door behind her and went to Fury’s office.</p><p>The door was open, so she stepped in with just a brief knock to the door to precede her. “Sir, we-” She paused when she saw that Colonel Danvers was with him. “Ma’am.” She turned back to Fury. “We have a... situation. My office appears to be compromised. An unidentified... object appeared there. And earlier this week, the alien plant which triggered the biochemical alarm because of its pollen was near my office as well. And whatever landed my assistant in the infirmary yesterday with an overdose of some toxin might have been in my office as well. She hasn’t woken up yet to tell us.”</p><p>“Let me take a look,” Carol offered. “I might be able to recognize it.”</p><p>Fury nodded to her. “Do that. And thank you, Carol.”</p><p>~*~</p><p>Maria unlocked her office, then let Carol precede her inside. She watched her walk around her desk, looking whatever it was over. “Do you recognize it?”</p><p>“It’s formed like the heart of a bilgesnipe.” She carefully reached out to feel it. “But it’s made of paper.” She unfolded it, frowning a bit as she read whatever it said.</p><p>“Is it a threat?”</p><p>Carol didn’t answer. Instead she asked: “Do you still have the plant and a sample of what your assistant consumed?”</p><p>“We do.” Maria swallowed her impatience and instead showed Carol both. “Well?”</p><p>“Well, it’s not a threat,” Carol said. Her lips seemed to twitch. “It appears someone is attempting to court you. An Asgardian, likely.”</p><p>Maria stared. “What?”</p><p>“The flower is native to many plants, most of them near where Asgard was.” Doctors Jane Foster, Banner and Stark had managed to rebuild the Bifrost, so the Asgardians were able to travel between Earth and their home galaxy in preparation for re-establishing Asgard. “It’s harmless for humans. The alarms were likely triggered because the pollen registered as unknown particles. The sample is... well, it is a toxin but a non-lethal one. It’s used as a recreational drug, like alcohol. What your assistant ate was basically the Asgardian version of pralines with alcohol.”</p><p>Maria was almost certain she was either dreaming or hallucinating. “What did you say?”</p><p>“You received flowers, pralines and a heart-shaped card for leading up for Valentine’s Day, from an Asgardian not aware of how the presents look on Earth, so they gave you the equivalent they are familiar with.”</p><p>“You say ‘an Asgardian’. Was the card not signed?”</p><p>“No. I guess they were told that a secret admirer is considered romantic on Earth.” Carol paused. “You can either ask Thor and Banner if any of the Asgardians showed interest in Midgardian ways of courtship or you can wait for them to reveal themselves in their own time.”</p><p>Maria’s first instinct was to call Banner and have the matter settled quickly. But she had to admit, at least to herself, that she was flattered by the interest and effort. It had been a while since someone had gone to such length for her. She doubted anything would come of it, considering she had no romantic or sexual interest in men, but she could wait for him to reveal himself. No reason to needlessly involve anyone else, after all.</p><p>“I will wait.”</p><p>“Okay. I’ll have to get back to my own preparations for Valentine’s but if you change your mind, I can reach out to the Asgardians for you.”</p><p>“I’ll keep that in mind.”</p><p>~*~</p><p>She hadn’t changed her mind. Though as time passed on Friday, she was doubting her decision. She received a note this morning – with a stuffed animal she couldn’t recognize or place – telling her that her admirer would come in the late afternoon to ask her to dinner. Carol had offered to call her wife, Maria Rambeau, to change their dinner plans for later but she’d assured her it wasn’t necessary.</p><p>Now she would be grateful for the company, if only to have someone to take her mind off the wait.</p><p>At precisely 1630 – just as it said in the note – there was a knock on the door.</p><p>She took a deep breath, trying to settle her nerves. “Come in.” She did a double take when the door opened. “Lady Sif?”</p><p>“Good evening, Agent Hill. I... hope you liked my presents. I read that they’re traditional Midgardian ways of courtship.”</p><p>Maria resisted the urge to ask where she’d read that. “They are.” In a sense.</p><p>“Then perhaps you would do me the honour of having dinner with me?”</p><p>Maria smiled. “It would be my pleasure.”</p>
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